So, in sum, while the Navy (C7F) is directing to keep port costs down and to be responsible with tax-payer money, Francis "Fat" Leonard was bribing Navy officers in the Seventh Fleet staff to direct ship's visits to ports that he could offer husbanding services via contract (at overcharged prices ... to the tune of tens of millions of dollars in overage.) Combine the bribery for the redirects with the use of expensive hotel rooms, providing prostitutes and at least one officer pleading guilty to providing ship's schedules (which were classified) to Fat Leonard and it is getting to be quite the story.

While this is definitely a big deal for the Navy, it's really not resonating much with the general population a la Tailhook. For comparison, the story of the DDG CO selecting for Major Command despite the fatal helo mishap seemed to generate a lot more (misguided, uninformed)internet outrage. So far, it's Fat Leonard, a CAPT, a CDR, KO, and an NCIS agent that have pled out. Another CDR is holding out and another CAPT is unnamed so far. Plus two admirals are still under investigation (they were ship's COs during some of the activity).

I don't know if the same result would have come about if NCIS had been handling the case vice the Department of Justice, it seems the DoJ is not screwing around on this.

Rollyn01

01-20-2015, 03:07 PM

Sometimes I wondered if I've join the wrong branch of the military. With stories like this, it would seem so.

Now with that satirical nonsense out of the way, maybe there's something wrong with me because I wouldn't even think twice about telling that fucker to fuck off. Maybe, just maybe, I have a disease that keeps me from thinking that way. What's it called again? Loyalty? Integrity? Honor? Am I just the oddball for thinking this way? Is it just an isolated case? But God help any enlisted caught doing this... I'm just so ashamed of the U.S. Armed Forces in general whenever I see stuff like this.

Mjölnir

03-14-2017, 11:19 PM

9 more indictments came out today.

If you read the whole thing (it is pretty lengthy), it seems like these folks were really ... really corrupt.

Sometimes I wondered if I've join the wrong branch of the military. With stories like this, it would seem so.

Now with that satirical nonsense out of the way, maybe there's something wrong with me because I wouldn't even think twice about telling that fucker to fuck off. Maybe, just maybe, I have a disease that keeps me from thinking that way. What's it called again? Loyalty? Integrity? Honor? Am I just the oddball for thinking this way? Is it just an isolated case? But God help any enlisted caught doing this... I'm just so ashamed of the U.S. Armed Forces in general whenever I see stuff like this.

For me i think its more that it has happened so often, where this or that officer took bribes to do this, but never faced any punishment, so OTHER officers ask "why the hell not".

Mjölnir

03-18-2017, 12:35 PM

For me i think its more that it has happened so often, where this or that officer took bribes to do this, but never faced any punishment, so OTHER officers ask "why the hell not".

Keep in mind the accused & convicted have largely been officers, a few enlisted personnel have also been involved.

How far back this goes is (publicly) unknown. Francis Glenn (Fat Leonard) has been cooperating with the DoJ since he was arrested. He seems to have kept really good records so he is likely the jumping off point for investigating anyone.

A couple of things that I have been thinking about:

1. The second most egregious issue in this case is the ethics issue; senior officers compromised their oaths and ethics for some level of financial gain, fancy meals or hotel suites, and the services of prostritutes. At some point the group began actively feeling out potential recruits to the "Cool Guy Club" to keep the racket going. While accountability and responsibility is with each individual, at least least one seems to have been groomed/manipulated for over a year to bring him in.

2. Reading the text of the emails and how personnel who were not corruptible are referred to and considering the CoS for 7th Fleet and a CVN CO were in on the crimes, how did those incorruptible fair when FITREPS, awards, follow on tour recommendations were handled by members of the "Cool Guy Club"? Did some good people get their career shelved by being ethical?

3. Part of the problem is how we go about doing business in other parts of the world. This type of scheme is fairly common around the world, for commercial vessels it is kept under some measure of control by solid business principles where money is the bottom line ... Not generally an issue in government. How far do we/should we go to enforce or impart American standards of behavior (i.e. solicitation of prostitutes which encourages human trafficking or refusing to accept consumable / personal gifts from a dignitary etc.) on a foreign culture when we are a 'guest' of the host nation?

I think the C7F / FDNF "tip of the spear" mentality led to this in some part. The shooting war has been going on in C5F / CENTCOM for almost 16 years, manning, enthusiasm & morale in 7th Fleet (our largest Fleet) took a dive. Adopting the FDNF motto and model led to a lot of bravado where the operations were not combat operations / largely the hard work we would be expecting any deployed naval assets to be doing far from the shooting war and as much the tip of the spear as an independent vessel circumnavigating South America. The ships and Strike Groups pull into port and the 'we are special' mentality amplified; add to the mix a few people with extreme influence and questionable ethics and top that off with a businessman willing to spend $60k or $70k on a party because his return on investment is about 1000% and this was bred to happen.

garhkal

03-18-2017, 05:41 PM

2. Reading the text of the emails and how personnel who were not corruptible are referred to and considering the CoS for 7th Fleet and a CVN CO were in on the crimes, how did those incorruptible fair when FITREPS, awards, follow on tour recommendations were handled by mem

I certainly wouldn't be shocked to see some straight shooters who wouldn't be brought into this mess having their evals docked..
THOUGH if they really were straight shooters, why didn't THEY Call for an IG investigation?

Mjölnir

03-18-2017, 09:09 PM

I certainly wouldn't be shocked to see some straight shooters who wouldn't be brought into this mess having their evals docked..
THOUGH if they really were straight shooters, why didn't THEY Call for an IG investigation?

In the indictment it says that the ones that were not judged to be options for recruiting weren't approached (texts of the conspirators emails are scattered through the indictment). The conspirators were smart and did not show their cards to anyone who could sound the alarm. The straight shooters didn't know about the corruption, nothing to call the IG about.